Scales had been
mentioned, and her mother had evidently forgotten the trifling
incident of New Year's Day--but she was incapable of descending
the stairs! She went to the head of the stairs and peeped through
the balustrade--and she could not get further. For nearly a
hundred days those extraordinary lamps had been brightly burning
in her head; and now the light-giver had come again, and her feet
would not move to the meeting; now the moment had arrived for
which alone she had lived, and she could not seize it as it
passed! "Why don't I go downstairs?" she asked herself. "Am I
afraid to meet him?"
The customer sent up by Constance had occupied the surface of her
life for ten minutes, trying on hats; and during this time she was
praying wildly that Mr. Scales might not go, and asserting that it
was impossible he should go without at least asking for her. Had
she not counted the days to this day? When the customer left
Sophia followed her downstairs, and saw Mr. Scales chatting with
Constance. All her self-possession instantly returned to her, and
she joined them with a rather mocking smile. After Mr. Povey's
strange summons had withdrawn Constance from the corner, Mr.
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